Football game with play projection

ABSTRACT

An electromechanical simulation of a football game including a plurality of films showing different actual football plays and a projection system for showing the film. Provision is made for selection of offensive and defensive plays respectively from a plurality of choices. The particular selections operate electrical switches, with the combined selection determining the particular film to be shown. The selection is accomplished through a motor driven gearing associated with a circular rack which holds a plurality of films for alignment with the projector. To introduce an additional element of chance into the device, switches are provided which override the offensive and defensive play selections, and position the rack randomly. A mockup of a football field is included so as to show the position of the ball as the game proceeds.

United States Patent 7-2] lnventor [54] FOOTBALL GAME WITH PLAYPROJECTION 7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

2,998,748 9/1961 Dessilani 352/123 3,139,788 7/1964 Hughes et al..352/123 3,176,313 3/1965 Yatera 352/194 3,383,156 5/1968 Fried et al352/123 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science July 1965 lPEX Report page 88Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Paul E. ShapiroAttorney-Richard P. Schulze ABSTRACT: An electromechanical simulation ofa football game including a plurality of films showing different actualfootball plays and a projection system for showing the film. Provisionis made for selection of offensive and defensive plays respectively froma plurality of choices, The particular selections operate electricalswitches, with the combined selection determining the particular film tobe shown. The selection is accomplished through a motor driven gearingassociated with a circular rack which holds a plurality of films foralignment with the projector. To introduce an additional element ofchance into the device, switches are provided which override theoffensive and defensive play selections, and position the rack randomly.A mockup of a football field is included so as to show the position ofthe ball as the game proceeds.

PATENTEU FEB 6 I97! SHEEI 1 OF 6 INVENTOR LAWRENCE E .MARSH PATENIEUFEBIBIBYI Q 3563547 .snwfz or 6 o IO IHHHDIDDEIEJUU 1 \Amr INVENTORLAWRENCE Es. MARSH PATEIHEDFEBIBIQYI 3563547 sum 3 or 6 INVENT ORLAWQENCE E). MAQSH PATENTEDFEBIQQH 3.563547 sum u 0F 6 INVENTOR LAWRENCEBNIARSH PATENTEUFEBLBIBYIJQ "31563547 SHEET 5 OF 6 INVENTOR LAWRENCE B.MARSH FOOTBALL GAME WITH PLAY PROJECTION The present invention relatesgenerally to equipment which simulates the action of a sporting contestand more particularly to an electromechanical device which simulatesplays conducted by two opposing sides in such a contest.

The increasing popularity of various sporting contests has resulted inthe use of indoor equipment for simulating such contests so thatopposing players may employ the basic concepts of the game and use theirown judgement, to a certain extent, as to the tactics to be used in thegame. Most of these indoor games are almost entirely dependent uponchance. In such games it is merely a selection or spin of a dial whichresults in a determination of the end result of the game.

There have also been developed some games in which two opposing sideseach have a choice of some type of move which they intend to make, andthe results are then compared in some manner so as to determine thefinal outcome of any specific play. However, to the best of my knowledgethere is no such game on the market which is capable of providing aresult dependent entirely upon the selection of both of the opposingplayers so that true strategy is involved in the playing tactics.Further, there is no known game which assimilates the results of theselection of the two players and provides a pictorial representation ofthe action which results from these selections.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide anelectromechanical game which is played by two opponents and whichprovides strategical selections for both opponents with the result beingpictorially displayed on the device.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the assembled equipment;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the housing of FIG. 1 with one sideremoved;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective of a sample film holder used in theequipment of FIG. 2; i

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the film advance mechanism used inconjunction with the film holder of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one film strip as used in the filmholder;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the one set of cams used for operationof the film select device;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a second set of cams used for the filmselection device;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the details of one of the play selectboxes used with the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is an electrical schematic of the control circuit of the presentinvention.

Turning now more specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1an external view of the three essential basic parts of the game asshown. It is noted that although the equipment is not so limited, forillustrative purposes the invention will be discussed in connection withthe game of football. There is shown in FIG. I a housing 11 having aprojection screen 13 at the frontal area thereof and a playing field 15extending outwardly from the housing 11. Also shown are the two playselect boxes 17, which will be discussed in detail as the descriptionproceeds. Additionally, there is provided on the face of the housing aplace for a clock 18 to time the quarters of the game, indicators forthe score as the game proceeds, and designators for the particularquarter in which the game is being played.

FIG. 2 shows the basic mechanisms involved in the present inventionincluding a film drum 19 which is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. Filmdrum 19 is rotatably supported on shaft 23 and has at the forward outerperiphery thereof a toothed gear 25 which meshes with a further gear 27.Gear 27 is driven by the play select motor 29 when it is actuated, andthus causes a rotation of the entire film drum 19.

Film drum 19 carries about its circumference a plurality of film holderssuch as holder 31 shown in position for projection upon the screen 13.The method of selecting a particular film holder 31 for projection onthe screen will be discussed as the description proceeds.

With the film holder 31 in place the film therein is driven by means ofa film advance mechanism, the detail of which is shown in FIG. 5 anddiscussed hereinafter. This film advance mechanism may be driven bymeans of a film advance motor 55 through a pulley arrangement 53. Therear projection system comprises lamp 33, reflector 35, condensing lens37, shutter 38, projector lens 39, mirror 41 and the projection screen13. This basic type of rear projection movie equipment is well known inthe art.

There is further included an additional drum 47 which is, in effect,integral with the drum 19 and rotates therewith about shaft 23. A seriesof earns 45 are integral with the peripheral surface of drum 47 and, asthe drum rotates, actuate an associated plurality of switches 43. In theillustrative embodiment of the football game, the switches 43 will bereferred to as the defense selection switches and the details of theseswitches and the earns 45 are shown in closer detail in FIG. 7.

A further set of earns 50 are integral with the rear face of the drum 47as shown in detail in FIG. 8. Cams 50 also operate an associatedplurality of switches 49 which will be referred to as the offenseselection switches. The interrelated operation of these switches will bediscussed in detail in connection with the circuit diagram of FIG. 10.However, it is noted here that it is the particular combination of thetwo selections with the resultant operation of the switches 43 and 49which ultimately determine the particular film holder which is to beselected for display.

In order to provide some unknown factors which control even a normalfootball game, there is further provided a series of earns 59 whichoperate an associated plurality of switches 61. The cams 59 are drivenby a toothed gear 57 which meshes with the gear 25. Switches 61 will bereferred to herein as random event switches and, as will become apparentas the description proceeds, may inject certain events such as fumbles,pass interceptions and the like during the period of play.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the mechanism which provides the advance of thefilm past the projection system once the film holder 31 has beenselected. The film itself has an inline series of sprocket holes 68 witha section of the film including these sprocket holes removed as at 70from both ends which correspond to the start and the finish of the filmstrip.

The pulley 69 is driven by the belt 53 when actuated by the film advancemotor 55 (FIG. 1) which in turn rotates shaft 71. Shaft 71 terminates atits other end in an adapter 73 with a threaded shaft 75 extendingaxially outwardly therefrom. Shaft 75 passes through borehole 77 in adisc 81 and also through a borehole 79 in a disc 83.

A rounded triangular cam plate 87 is secured between discs 81 and 83 andhas a borehole 85 for accepting the shaft 75.

A threaded pin 89 is also mounted on the adapter plate 73 and extendsparallel with shaft 75. Pin 73 passes through the apertures 91, 93 and95 of disc 81, cam plate 87 and disc 83, respectively, so as to assurepositive rotation of the discs and cam plate with the adapter plate 73.

When the assembly is mounted, the cam plate 87 rests within a squareaperture 97 of the film advance plate 99 and is rotatable therein.

Film advance plate 99 has an integral extending arm 100 which terminatesin a slot 101 which rests on a shaft 103 mounted to a fixed plate 105.Therefore, as the entire mechanism is turned by the belt 53, the filmadvance plate will assume a rectilinear motion due to the action of camplate 87 as shown by the boxed arrows of FIG. 5.

In order to advance the film with the above-discussed rectilinearmotion, film advance plate 99 has a plurality of pins extending upwardlytherefrom. As shown in the illustration of FIG. 5, two of the pins 107are fixed and integral with the plate whereas the outer pins I09 and 110are pivoted about a central point such as 111 and spring biased in adirection as indicated by the springs 113. The movement of the pins bythe spring 113 is limited by stop members 115 and 116. Pivoted pins 109are directly related to the-section of the film 70 which has beenremoved as will become apparent from the discussion followinghereinafter. When the particular film holder 31 is in place, the pins107 will engage the film in the upward motion of the rectilinearsequence and cause the advance or rewind depending upon shaft rotationdirection of the film with the lateral motion caused by the cam plate87. After the lateral motion is completed in the up position, theadvancer disengages the film on its downward stroke and laterally movesback into a position to start the sequence again.

The function of the pins 109 and 110 at the beginning of the forwardplay of the film and at the start of the rewind of the film is asfollows. The film 67 has a normal sprocket holes 68 along its entirelength except at each extremity. The ends of the film 70 are cut so asto eliminate the sprocket holes at that particular area of the film.Therefore, when the film advance mechanism has advanced the film to theextreme end wherein the cutaway portion 70 is presented to the fingers,the film will stop since there will be no holes for the advance pins 107to engage. At this point the film advancer is reversed in its rotationby either a manual or automatic switch (not shown). To rewind, thepivoted finger 110 which is spring loaded in the forward direction andretained by'the pin 116 in the rewind direction reengages the film inthe rewind direction and moves the film far enough in the rewind modefor the advance fingers 107 to continue the motion to the otherextremity. The spring biased finger 109 provides the same function forthe forward direction. It is noted that the purpose of the springs 113is to insure that the pins 109, 110 return to the upright position. Thetension of the. springs must not be so great that they remain uprightwhen the force of the film is against the spring, thus preventing thefilm from going beyond the retrieval point.

Turning now to a description of 1 the electrical control system for thepresent device, it is first noted that for each set of defense selectcams 45 there is an associated offense select cam 50. This will be moreclear from the showing of FIG. 8 when taken together with FIG. 2.

As depicted in FIG. 10, one of the players switches 117 is moved to theoffensive position by means of switch 121 shown in FIG. 9 and the otherplayer has his switch connected to the defense selection. Cams 45 and 50are illustrated schematically as are the switches. The defensiveswitches are indicated as switches A through F and the offensiveswitches are indicated as Nos. 1 through 8. The remaining switches G, H,I and J are connected to the random event cam operation device.

The player on offense has selected offensive play No. 6 while the playeron defense has selected defensive tactic E. The particular play chosenby a selected position is listed on a separate sheet so that theplayermay make his choice. As an example, if the offensive player has asecond down and yards to go, he may call an off tackle play or a shortsideline pass or a long pass or any other available tactic in a normalfootball game. Likewise, the defensive player in attempting to outguesswhat the offensive player is going to call may select any type ofdefensive pattern to combat either a pass or running play.

Once both players have made their selection, the execute button 123 isclosed which applies power to the system and energizes the play selectmotor 29 through the normally closed contact 127. Rotation of playselect motor 29 causes the play select drum to rotate. As noted above,for every complete rotation through a series of earns 45, cams 50advance one position as is clear from FIG. 8.

Rotation of cam 50 will create an electrical continuity between point Xand point 2 when and only when it is in position No. 6. Thus, when cam50 is in position No. 6, there exists continuity between X and Z.Rotation of cam 45 will create an electrical continuity between point Yand point Z when it is in position E. Thus, when cam 50 is in positionNo. 6 and cam 45 is in position E, continuity will exist between pointsX and Y.

and the normally open contacts 135 and 137 to close. The

relay closing will stop the play select motor 29, thus causing the filmdrum 19 to stop rotating. Film 6-E is now in position to be shown.

Closing relay also causes the film drive motor to rotate by virtue ofthe closure of contact 135. The other contact 137 provides aself-locking circuit for the relay to prevent the possiblity ofenergizing the play select motor while a film is in progress.

Switch 139 is normally moved across the forward" terminals 141 and ismoved to the reverse" terminals 143 upon completion of the film. This isaccomplished by either a manual switch or by an automatic switch sensingthe film end, thus causing the film drive motor to reverse and hencerewind the film. After the film is rewound, another play is selected byswitches 1 through 6. Upon completion of the selection, either resetswitch 131 or 133 is momentarily opened. This action breaks the relaylocking circuit thus causing the play select motor to rotate and thefilm drive motor to stop.

Positions G, H, I and J are the random action terminals and areconnected to normally open switches 61 which normally do not effect thefilm selection Switches 61 are closed randomly by cams 59 driven fromthe play select motor and may represent films depicting fumbles,intercepted passes, etc. To illustrate, assume play 6-E has beenselected by the two players. Continuity between X and Y will occur ifcam 50 position No. 6 and any of the switches 61 to terminals G, H, land J are closed, thus stopping the play select motor at say 6-H (if His the closed switch). Normal rotation of cam 45 is such that thesequence is G, H, I, J, A, B, C, D, E, F, thus causing G, H, l and J tobe presented before the other possible positions. For example, when cam50 advances one position, the first position presented on cam 45 is G.Thus, film 6-H will be shown instead of the player-selected film 6-5.

It is to be understood that the above description and accompanyingdrawings are illustrative only and that individual components may bemodified and additional refinements may be added without departing fromthe scope of the invention. For instance, additional films could beincluded in the abovedescribed football game such as for apunt, fieldgoal, or point after touchdown as shown by the buttons in FIG. 9.Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A system for simulating the offensive and defensive tactics of asporting contest involving two opponents comprising:

a projector-screen display means;

a movable rack for containing separate holders for a plurality of filmstrips, each strip depicting a different single P y;

an offensive switch settable to a predetermined number of positions;

a defensive switch settable to a predetermined number of positions,motormeans for moving said rack;

means coupling said motor means to said offensive and defensive switchesso that the combined position of said switches determines the finalposition of said rack;

a film advance and return motor means associated with said rack fordriving the film in said holder as selected by said final rack positionso as to be projected onto said screen by said projector; and

means for overriding said switches and controlling the position of saidrack at random intervals.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising, cam means mounted on saidrack for actuating said offensive and defensive switches in response tomovement of said rack.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said rack is a circular drum and saidfilm holders are mounted about the periphery of said rack.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said film holders comprise;

a first storage chamber;

a second storage chamber;

a guide channel between said first and second storage chambers;

an aperture in said guide channel for placing said film between saidprojector and said screen; and

rality of pins are oppositely spring biased and rotatable in oppositedirection, and further comprising sections at either end of said filmstrip having the sprocket holes cut out therefrom 7. A game forproviding selection of offensive and defensive film advancing meansassociated with said guide channel for 5 ta ti s C mprising;

advancing said film through said channel into said second storagechamber and returning said film from said second chamber to said firstchamber.

5. The system of claim 4 where said film advancing means comprises:

a film projector including a screen;

a plurality of holders containing individual film strips and movableinto projecting alignment with said projector;

motor means for moving said holders;

first switching means movable to a plurality of positions;

second switching means movable to a plurality of positions;

circuit means connecting said first and second switching means so as tocontrol the operation of said motor means in accordanc with the positionof said first and second switch means; and

third switching means connected to said circuit means for overridingsaid first and second switching means at random intervals for operationof said motor.

1. A system for simulating the offensive and defensive tactics of asporting contest involving two opponents comprising: a projector-screendisplay means; a movable rack for containing separate holders for aplurality of film strips, each strip depicting a different single play;an offensive switch settable to a predetermined number of positions; adefensive switch settable to a predetermined number of positions, motormeans for moving said rack; means coupling said motor means to saidoffensive and defensive switches so that the combined position of saidswitches determines the final position of said rack; a film advance andreturn motor means associated with said rack for driving the film insaid holder as selected by said final rack position so as to beprojected onto said screen by said projector; and means for overridingsaid switches and controlling the position of said rack at randomintervals.
 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising, cam meansmounted on said rack for actuating said offensive and defensive switchesin response to movement of said rack.
 3. The system of claim 1 whereinsaid rack is a circular drum and said film holders are mounted about theperiphery of said rack.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein said filmholders comprise; a first storage chamber; a second storage chamber; aguide channel between said first and second storage chambers; anaperture in said guide channel for placing said film between saidprojector and said screen; and film advancing means associated with saidguide channel for advancing said film through said channel into saidsecond storage chamber and returning said film from said second chamberto said first chamber.
 5. The system of claim 4 where said filmadvancing means comprises: sprocket holes in said film; a movable plate;a plurality of parallel pins extending outwardly from and substantiallyparallel with said plate, said fingers being spaced so as to engage saidsprocket holes in said film; and motor means for driving said plate in arectilinear motion in the plane of said plate.
 6. The system of claim 5wherein the outermost of said plurality of pins are oppositely springbiased and rotatable in opposite direction, and further comprisingsections at either end of said film strip having the sprocket holes cutout therefrom.
 7. A game for providing selection of offensive anddefensive tactics comprising; a film projector including a screen; aplurality of holders containing individual film strips and movable intoprojecting alignment with said projector; motor means for moving saidholders; first switching means movable to a plurality of positions;second switching means movable to a plurality of positions; circuitmeans connecting said first and second switching means so as to controlthe operation of said motor means In accordance with the position ofsaid first and second switch means; and third switching means connectedto said circuit means for overriding said first and second switchingmeans at random intervals for operation of said motor.